The Time's Past Midnight
by MuteSunset
Summary: "It's getting dark, let's leave it at that. He's been gone for so long she doesn't know where he's at. But hold onto your seat, as some might warn, as two hearts beat and as some friendships refuse to be torn." ... Once-Ler/OC ... Little one-shot sort of.


The moon has set and the dazzling stars fill the open, darkened sky. It's been hours since he left, and now I'm alone in the little tent-house with scattered animals everywhere. Sound asleep, they are, moving slightly every now and then. The smallest of the Barb-a-Loots, the one my friend and I call Pipsqueak, lay on my friend's bed all curled up in a brown ball of fluffy fur. I get up from the middle of the floor, stepping carefully over other sleeping creatures. I crawled into the bed and scrunched up next to Pipsqueak, stroking his soft little head.

_It won't be long, little guy…It won't be long…_

Those were the last words to echo throughout my blank mind as I dozed off into a deep slumber.

Sudden waves of heat made me feel uncomfortably warm, causing me to toss off the blanket that had been put upon me at some point. I then started to become confused. Since when was the blanket on me? Did I put it on without realizing it? Why don't I remember the blanket…?

I opened and blinked my moss green eyes a couple of times, readjusting my vision so it wasn't so fogged up from sleep. I was lying diagonally on the bed, the blanket was on the floor, and Pipsqueak wasn't curled up next to me like he was earlier. How long has it been since I crawled into bed? Time seemed to have passed me by more than I had thought. I sat up lazily, scanning the one room tent-house for anything different. That's when I spotted something bundled up in the middle of the floor where I was before I went to sleep. Swinging my feet over the bed, I sauntered on over to the heap of light sheets and a few pillows. I knelt down where I thought the front would be and poked into the sheets. Something plush met my touch and something shuffled under the sheets. I sank back a little way, and then out popped a pair of drowsy grey-blue eyes. They stared at me for quite some time before closing again. I sighed softly, recognizing those tender eyes.

I unfolded the sheets with the unwillingness of my friend and gazed down at the thin and lanky balled up body that was hidden under the heap. He opened his eyes again, scanning my eyes now for a darn good reason behind me waking him up.

"Mmhmm…Hmmhm…" He mumbled, blinking his eyes before sitting up. "What…?"

I just smiled a tiny grin as he gave me a confused look.

"Seriously…What…?" He seemed like he wasn't sure why I was here.

"Nothing," my voice was hushed before it became concerned. "Where were you?"

He paused, furrowing his brows and then brushing back his shagged black hair that was matted to his forehead from the sweat of him being bundled up for so long.

"Out."

"Out where?"

"Does it really matter right now? I'll tell you tomorrow. Goodnight, Bess." He rolled over like a sleep-deprived child, huddling up again.

Placing my right hand on the other side I leaned over him, my face inches from his. The scraps that I dare call my choppy bangs hung in front of my face, a blur of cherry red hair a mess atop my head in a slack ponytail.

"Once-Ler…Where were you?" I hoped that he would finally get a grip on how worried I was that something had happened to him while he was out. "Do you know how many hours I've been waiting for you? Do you have any idea how many times I've paced this floor?"

He finally opened his eyes and gave me an icy glare. The menacing look softened after about thirty more seconds of hardcore staring.

"I went for a walk, that's it."

"When did you get back?"

"I don't know…"

"You didn't bother to tell me where you were going. You didn't bother to give me a return time and you didn't even bother to say goodbye!" I raised my voice at him, even though my throat had become dry within a few seconds. We glared at each other for a while, not breaking eye contact. After it seemed like long enough has passed I broke. Getting up, I wandered back over to the bed. I wasn't even halfway there when I heard him again.

"Goodnight, Bess…"

I stopped in my tracks; my head hung low and I could feel my whole body going limp. It wasn't really new, but it wasn't really old, either. I've felt this way before whenever a lot of emotions take me over. I'm furious about the things he didn't tell me, I'm concerned about what he might be feeling right now, I'm fearful of the things that could've happened to him on his walk…I'm a literal mess that's trying desperately to clean itself up. Then I felt myself whirl around and hurry back over to him for some reason I have yet to find out about. I dropped down to my knees and curled up against him, my head on his shoulder and my right hand on his forearm. Even if I was behind him, I could still feel his warmth. He scooted a bit away from me before turned to face the mess that I call myself. My head lowered to the floor and my hands were clenched close to my chest as I was in a ball. He looked at me as he sat up, his eyes a sea of mixed molecules of emotions. I covered my flushed pink face now with my clammy hands in shame and other things. Despite the fact that I couldn't see anymore, I could hear him moving and felt something touch my head. Lowering my hands back onto the floor, I saw his outstretched arm leading to my head where his hand was. I had no idea why he touched my head, but at least he wasn't mad at me. Well, as far as I know. He then smiled at me and tasseled my hair.

"Goodnight." With that, he rolled over and threw the sheets over him once more. I smiled widely, relief washing over me as well as something else that really felt brand new to me. I got onto my knees and leaned over him, my face inches from his again.

"Goodnight, Once-Ler…" I whispered, my eyes beaming. I couldn't possibly sleep now, but I had to try. It is way past midnight, or it felt like it at least. I'd wake up late, but he wouldn't care because he'd probably he asleep as well.

I pecked his cheek gently before bolting to the other side of the room, grabbing the blanket off the floor and nearly jumping onto the bed. As I was burying myself under the giant blanket, I heard some more movement. Peeking over my shoulder, I saw that he was sitting up again. He gave a slight wave and smiled before turning back over in his giant heap of blankets.

I couldn't possibly sleep now.


End file.
